Bluestem Brands Recalls Toy Cars Over Battery Fire Hazard

While it’s not exactly a Ford Escape or a Chevy Sonic, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of another kind of vehicle this week, albeit a much smaller one. Bluestem Brands voluntarily recalled approximately 4,700 Range Rider Ride-On Toy Cars due to an overheating issue with the batteries. So far nine reports have been reported in which the batteries produced smoke, caught fire, melted the battery connectors, or even damaged the plastic body of the vehicles.

No injuries have been reported as of yet, but the battery issues have the potential to lead to serious injuries, as the children that these small vehicles are intended for could possibly be unaware of how to properly react in case of fire. Moreover, if an accident occurs while the vehicle is being operated without parent supervision, any injuries could be even more severe. In the meantime, the CPSC urges parents to make sure that their children stop using the affected models immediately.

Included in the recall are the tan and pink models of the Range Rider, represented by model numbers 90407B and 90407G with the product codes NI374 and NU640. The vehicles were sold between September 2010 and May 2012 through Bluestem’s Fingerhut and Gettington outlets, both via catalog and online. The Range Riders cost between $200 and $230 depending on when they were purchased, and Bluestem has promised to refund the full price of each recalled Range Rider plus shipping and handling.

This marked the second recall of 2012 for Bluestem, as the company recalled 405 recliners in June. The legs of the recliners violated federal law for containing excessive levels of lead. Both the Range Rider vehicles and the recliners were manufactured in China.

For more information, you can contact Bluestem at (866) 931-5417, or visit the CPSC website or the Product Recall sections on the Fingerhut or Gettington websites.